b'BY DEVLIN PIPLIC, PRESIDENTPR E SIDEN TS ME S S AGEI n recent years, I have observedsupervisors and our communities.continue to be the backbone of colleagues within our networkTasks and work completed mayour organization. I am very proud being asked to do more with fewerovershadow the people. Thisto be included in an organization resources. This is not something newunfortunate reality makes methat develops relationships and to our industry. However, the impactconcerned for the mental health andsupports one another. The peer-to-of stressful working environmentswell-being for the folks in our industry.peer support we cultivate and foster has become more apparentthroughI believe we need to shift our focushas always been significant. I think both the mental toll and increasedless on the task at hand and more onJoe summed it up perfectlyour turnover within our WAMOA network.the people performing the work. Thisfamilies and colleagues who care This is why I valued the keynoteapplies to both our work and our homeabout us the most should not get speakers at our annual conference.lives. As Joe indicated, we need tothe least of us. I hope everyone who Joe Sanfelippo and Nash Fung werevalue people, we need to be proud ofattended the conference recognized so impactful for me, and I hope youthe work we do and not defend thethat prioritizing the positive things valued their messages as well. I thinkwork performed. It is this holistic viewin your life will give you a chance to they did a tremendous job sharing anof the person that will bring greater joyexperience greater moments of joy. empathetic story that focused lessto the work we perform and will haveThat increased joy has the potential on the demands of ones position anda positive impact on others. When weto minimize any mental challenges as more on the person and the impactcare for ourselves and each other, wewell as strengthen the bonds of the they have on others.all benefit. people we impact. People should be valued for moreWAMOA is an organization that than the work they perform. I haveadvocates for facility operations andDevlinsensed a gradual shift away fromstudent success in K-12 education. We these values because of the demandsare resilient. We are collaborative. We put on facility leaders by bothare advocates. WAMOA members The WAMOA Journal COLIBRI NorthwestPUBLISHERADVERTISING SALES is published by PO Box 13130Peter PhilipsKatie HigginsCOLIBRI Northwest Des Moines, WA 981981003 206-779-2746206-914-4248 for WAMOA. peter@colibrinw.com katie@colibrinw.com6 WAMOA JOURNALFALL 2024'